The Australian Energy Regulator today released its final decision on the access arrangement that will be used to set network charges for Queensland’s Roma to Brisbane gas transmission pipeline for five years from 1 July 2017.
Our decision will result in reductions in annual gas bills of up to $3 in 2018 for residential customers and falls of up to $31 for small business customers. Customers connected directly to the RBP should benefit from annual bill reductions of about 4.8 per cent each year over the access arrangement period. This will place downward pressure on customer’s gas bills at a time when other components of the gas bill, such as wholesale costs, may be increasing.
“These decisions allow for the investment that is necessary to deliver safety, reliability and security of supply, while also managing changing demand.
“At a time when energy affordability is a serious concern for consumers, it is more important than ever that consumers have the confidence that we are carefully examining all aspects of network costs,” said AER board member Jim Cox.
Improved market conditions mean rates of return have fallen across the board, which has resulted in lower network charges.
“The Australian energy market is in transition and the AER’s work takes place in the context of significant technological, behavioural and systemic change. We work to make all Australian energy consumers better off now and in the future, and this decision is a key part of that work,” said Mr Cox.